


Pinky Promise

by FairyLights101



Series: Zine Works [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Love Letters, M/M, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24907714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyLights101/pseuds/FairyLights101
Summary: A series of unsent letters to Shiro throughout their time in space.
Relationships: Matt Holt/Shiro
Series: Zine Works [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2156664
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	Pinky Promise

_ Captain Shirogane-- _

You’d fuss at me if you saw this, but you won’t, so I don’t have to worry too much. But, for your sake -- Shiro. Can’t believe you and I are going to space. Well, you, me, and Dad. Bit of a romance-block, don’t ya think? Then again, after everything that happened with Adam… You look so sad, lately. Even talking about Kerberos can’t cheer you up. 

At least you’re still eating, though I don’t think Mom, Dad, or Katie would let you get away with  _ not _ eating. And, as happy as I am that you got to have some sweets,  _ that was the last slice of my chocolate cake, you cretin.  _

But, God, I have never wanted to kiss you so much as I did then, with crumbs all over your stupid face and icing on your lips, holding the last forkful out for me. God was playing “Whatcha Say”, I’ve got twenty dollars on it. Once I get paid. You know me too well.

_ Captain Shiro-- _

Your face when we landed on Kerberos -- I haven’t seen you so happy in months. You just-- I just--  _ Wow, I’m gay.  _ But, with that smile on your face, and the stars all behind you and the distant light of the sun on us… how could I not be? Dad is so proud of you, I know it. You’re like one of his kids (and, you know, hopeful son-in-law. Look, a guy can dream, okay?).  _ I’m  _ so proud of you. You made it. Despite everything --  _ you made it. _

_ Captain Shiro-- _

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I should’ve kept my freaking eyes on the radar, should have been watching, but--  _ I’m sorry.  _ It’s my fault they got us. It’s my fault we were abducted. I’m sorry.

_ Captain Shiro-- _

It’s been months. I think. Too much has been happening. There’s no way to tell time like we do here. All I know is that seventeen sleep cycles after they took us, after they started us in the fighting rings, you shoved me back. You took my place. And now-- now I don’t know where you are. I don’t even know where Dad is.

Shiro… I miss home. I miss Mom’s cooking. I miss Katie, and laying on my bunk in the Garrison listening to you explain some equation to me.

I miss you.

_ Captain Shiro-- _

Despite everything, the stars here are really pretty. Well, “here” is a relative term, since I have nothing to determine where we are, and it’s not like I can whip up a GPS, especially one that will automatically know where we are and the names of everything and how far away from home I am, how far away I am from  _ you,  _ and-- Sorry, I’m rambling. And I’m apologizing to myself for rambling. In my head.  _ Brilliant.  _ You know, this might actually drive me crazy. But I still can’t forget your smile. That’s what’s keeping me sane. The thought that I might see it again.

… I will… right?

_ Shiro-- _

I don’t know where I am. Some days I don’t know who I am. Just “Prisoner 382920-11”. They call me “Elevens”. But I know you. I know who you are. Takashi Shirogane.  _ Captain  _ Takashi Shirogane. Captain. My captain.

Are you still alive?

_ Shiro-- _

I’m trying. I’m trying. I promise.

Please… be alive.

_ Shiro-- _

I almost gave up. And then someone said something. They mentioned “The Champion”. And, what they described… It’s you. You’re alive. You have to be. If not--

There’s talk about something else. Voltron. The other prisoners here have been telling me stories about it, about how Voltron will liberate us all. Well -- if you’re involved with them, if you’re really alive and part of Voltron, I’m sure you wouldn’t turn down a little help, now would you? I’m gonna try to rally the prisoners, but… I don’t have a lot of hope. Some of them have known nothing  _ but _ this.

_ Shiro--  _

They’re starting to talk. About rebellion I mean. Not anything else. Well, actually, there’s talk of other things, like how Grinna’s the favorite of Commander Urak and so they get good food, favors (I’m not jealous. Not at all). 

But they’re talking. 

Three months (I think it’s been three months anyways. They call them phoebs, and since I don’t have anything that has Earthen time to compare it to, I’m at a bit of a loss for exactly how long it’s been. It’s difficult to keep track of the length of the days, since I can’t spend long enough counting and checking the time with all the work they’re having us do. And there’s two suns, so sometimes it’s hard to tell when it’s “day” and when it’s  _ day.  _ God, I’d kill to be back on Earth. To be back with you--) 

Sorry. Yeah. Rebellion. Aliens. Voltron. The good stuff. As good as we can get on an alien planet who knows how far away from home.

_ Shiro-- _

Have you met any aliens yet? Wait, dumb question, of course you met aliens. We met them together. Do you ever wonder how we can understand one another? I think they have some sort of advanced translator. Remember when they stuck our necks? What if they implanted a nano-tech translator in us? That would make sense and explain how we can understand them and vice-versa. Surely they’d have to communicate with one another, and the tech must be phenomenally fast and intuitive, since it picked up on human language so fast. Maybe it reads brain waves? What if they can transmit our thoughts and words to places? What if they know what I’ve been thinking? Saying?  _ Planning?  _

_ Shiro-- _

We did it. We  _ did it.  _ Don’t have time to talk. Write. Think. You know what I mean. Well, I know what I mean. Point is, there are currently several Galra ships chasing after us, but we’re--  _ Fuck!  _ Uh. I’ll get back to you on that.

_ Shiro-- _

Okay, we actually did it this time. Promise. Pinky promise. Remember how you used to make me pinky promise over the dumbest things? “Hey Matt, promise you’ll save the last slice of key lime pie for me.” Pinky promise. “Matt, promise you’ll study for your exam?” Pinky promise. “You’ll help me pick out a cat when we graduate, right?” Pinky promise. “You’ll come to Kerberos with me, right?” Pinky promise.

Hey Shiro. I’ll find you.

Pinky promise.

_ Shiro-- _

Sorry, these last few phoebs have been  _ wild.  _ Like. If I’m not working on coding and general programming, constructing schematics for things,  _ actually constructing _ those things, and organizing a dozen rebellions for the weekend, then I’m probably out cold on whatever I land on. I slept on the floor of the lab the other day and, let me tell you, that  _ hurt.  _ I still can’t move my shoulder right.

There’s more talk about Voltron. There are more stories. New stories, ones I hadn’t heard before. There’s even descriptions. And one sounds like you. Tall. Dark hair with a white tuft on the front (that must be new) and a scar on your nose (bro. How?). Then again, maybe I’m being too optimistic. A guy can dream. But… still. I’m worried. But I’m so hopeful. Because, even if you aren’t one of the Paladins, maybe you’re still alive. Maybe they can help me get back to Earth. Maybe I can see you again.

I hope so. I miss you.

I love you.

Thinking of you gets me through this. Everyday. And I want to tell you so much, and--  _ no Sarux, you can’t eat that-- _

  
  


_ Shiro--  _

I’m not dead.

Katie can crack the code.

You won’t see this. Or hear this.

I’ll still be alive when you both find me.

Pinky promise.

_ Takashi-- _

You’re alive.

You’re  _ alive. _

You’re here, and you’re alive, and you look like absolute crap, and--

I love you. I love you, I love you,  _ I love you.  _

_ Takashi--  _

I wish we didn’t have to part. War sucks. The rebellion needs me, and the universe needs you. I guess this is how it goes, isn’t it? Man falls desperately, tragically in love with his best friend and commanding officer, they go to war, and his love never comes to fruition.

I’ll come back to you. I’ll always come back to you. No matter what it takes.

_ Takashi-- _

I should have known.  _ I should have known.  _ I  _ knew _ you. 

I should have known it wasn’t you. But I didn’t. None of us did.

None of us knew you  _ died.  _

Oh God. Oh God, oh God,  _ oh God. _

I can’t-- I just-- I’m--

_ Takashi-- _

Wake up. Wake up so I can tell you I love you, so I can stop waiting. Because, if I wait any longer, you might die again. And, this time, you won’t come back.

You know how Slav talks about multiple realities? About how every tiny action and decision causes limitless other realities to come to life? In one of those realities, you died. You died, and you didn’t come back. And I never told you. In one reality, you won’t wake up, and I’ll never be able to tell you, or hear your answer.

Don’t let that reality be this one.

_ Takashi-- _

You’re aware.  _ You’re awake and I love you, I love you, I love you-- _

I told you that the second you woke up, and you just-- that dopey smile you gave me had my heart going wild, and I thought I was going to pass out because  _ I freaking said it.  _

And then you said it too. You said “I love you too”.

And everything felt right.

Everything’s going to be okay.

  
  


_ Takashi-- _

You know, I always dreamed of spending the rest of my life with you, even if just as a friend. I didn’t dare to hope for more.

I don’t have to hope anymore.

I saw the stars, and none of them compare to you.

Because now, I’m yours, and you’re mine, and this reality? It’s my favorite.

Pinky promise.

_ Sincerely, _ _  
_ _ Matt Shirogane-Holt _

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Shatt Zine, [Inseparable](https://shattzine.tumblr.com/), with a beautiful companion art piece by [dubtheProblems](https://twitter.com/dubtheproblems)! The Zine was a wonderful project to be a part of, and the whole project is available for _free download_! Just click the first hyperlink!


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